Functional Skills For University
Functional skills can be very important for University. They can help you succeed in your studies, or may very well be requirements for you to secure a place on a university course.
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Functional Skills For University
Most university courses will require a combination of A Levels or a Level 3 equivalent qualifications for you to secure a place on one of their courses. In addition, they will expect you to have GCSE or Level 2 equivalent qualifications in English and Maths at grade C/4 or above.
At Pass Functional Skills we are used to helping students complete their Maths and English Level 2 qualifications. You can find resources to help with your revision on our website, which you can access through the links below.
What are Functional Skills?
Functional skills qualifications in Maths and English demonstrate that you possess the essential skills necessary for academic success and beyond. Functional Skills provide students with the tools to communicate effectively, make informed decisions, and solve problems. All level 2 Functional Skills qualifications are equivalent to grade 4/C at GCSE.
If you don’t already have Functional Skills or GCSE qualifications in Maths and English, you will likely need to obtain these qualifications before you apply for university. While a minority of courses may accept students without Level 2 competency in Maths and English, the majority will not.
Whether you have a university course in mind or are still weighing up your options, it can be a good idea to get a head start and complete your Functional Skills, so you are ready to apply. These skills will also help you achieve success at university.
Functional Skills Courses
Register for free access to our functional skills course to get instant access to all these great features.
Initial Assessments
The Pass Functional Skills initial assessment is a bespoke, market-leading diagnostic test that is used to determine what level a student is currently working at, and suggests what course they should be enrolled on after completing it.
Subject Knowledge Assessments
The course starts with a subject knowledge assessment. This is a series of questions that covers a wide range of the functional skills curriculum and helps to determine what topic areas you need to work on after completion.
Multimedia Resources
Video Tutorials, Practice Questions and Exam Questions allow you to get a comprehensive understanding of every part of the curriculum.
AI Mock Exams
When you have finished working through the topic areas and are feeling confident, you can take on the AI mock exams made to simulate the real thing, which mark your answers in seconds as well as an examiner, and provides you with comprehensive feedback on your answer.
Progress Tracking
Our smart-tracking system gives you constant feedback on your progress. It will help to identify where your weak spots are so you can target your revision more effectively and keep track of your work.
Online Delivery
Our 100% online courses are accessible 24/7 and allow you to revise whenever and wherever you like. The recommended study time is around 50 hours but you can work at your own pace and progress through at your own rate.
Can You Get Into University with Functional Skills?
Most universities accept Functional Skills Level 2 qualifications as part of their admission criteria.
To be accepted to, and successfully complete, university level education, you will need skills in literacy and numeracy. Specifically, universities will want to see that you have GCSE level or equivalent qualifications in Maths and English. If you don’t already have GCSEs in Maths and English, this is where Functional Skills come in.
Functional Skills Level 2 are equivalent to a GCSE pass grade. Here are some popular courses that require you to have GCSE or equivalent grades in Maths and English.
Medicine: Usually require GCSEs in both English and Maths.
Engineering courses: Often require GCSE Maths.
Teaching courses: Typically require GCSEs in both English and Maths.
These are just the most popular courses – it is likely that most university courses will look for GCSE and equivalent qualifications in Maths and English.
Benefits of Functional Skills
🌐 Online
Functional Skills can be taken online, GCSEs must be sat in person
📅 All Year
Functional Skills exams run all year round, GCSE exams only run twice a year
🚀 Faster
Functional Skills are typically quicker to complete than GCSEs
📝 Practical
Functional Skills focus on practical skills in Maths and English you can you apply to day-to-day
Maths
The Functional Skills Maths qualification requires you to sit and pass a 2 hour exam. The exam is sat virtually with an online invigilator, and is split up into 2 parts; a 30 minute non-calculator section and a 90 minute calculator section. Once you have passed this exam then you will receive your certification to show that you have achieved your Functional Skills Maths qualification, which you can use as proof of Maths competency when applying to university.
English
The Functional Skills English qualification consists of three components. These components are sat as separate exams, so you will sit 3 exams in total for your English Functional Skills qualification. These components are reading, writing and SLC (speaking, listening and communication). The reading and writing exams are both 1 hour long, commonly sat one after the other in a 2 hour slot. The SLC is usually sat separately and takes around 2 hours.
Universities that Accept Functional Skills
Universities that Accept Functional Skills for Midwifery
Many UK universities which offer midwifery courses accept Functional Skills qualifications as an alternative to traditional GCSEs in English and Maths. Examples include Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), King’s College London, Keele University, Oxford Brookes University, and The University of Brighton, which all recognise Level 2 Functional Skills for their Midwifery programmes.
Universities that Accept Functional Skills for Nursing
Many UK universities offering midwifery courses accept functional skills qualifications as part of their alternative qualifications for entry requirements, including the University of Leeds and King’s College London. Other Universities accept Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths for their nursing courses, such as the University of Liverpool and the University of Hull.
Functional skills university
What are the universities that accept functional skills for nursing?
Several UK universities, including the University of Leeds and King’s College London, accept Functional Skills qualifications as part of their alternative entry requirements for midwifery courses. Additionally, universities like the University of Liverpool and the University of Hull recognize Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths for entry into their nursing programs.
Are there specific functional skills university courses?
To our knowledge, there are not specific functional skills university courses. To complete Functional Skills as part of your University application you will need to complete the qualifications prior to applying to Univeristy.
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Our Functional Skills Experts are on hand to answer any queries you may have.